3 pt Sickle bar mower

[bgr]

You should also look at flail mowers which can offset to the side and cut vertically. Chinese ones are cheapest. Italians better and a little more $$$.

 

[bearthebruce]

We have a NH 451 (if memory serves). Would entertain an offer. We are not using it. It needs a little love but we know it was working 4 years ago. We moved it indoors. Interested? PM me and we'll go from there.

 

[beenthere]

The sickle bar will be great to keep it maintained, once you have cleared out the 1" and larger brush, bushes, and trees. i.e. get it cleared first and then maintain the annual growth.

 

[BlueBerry Farmer]

I find They will handle the odd sapling of that size ok but not not in any intensity. Also the sickle bar mower will not mulch if that's important.

 

[RolandW]

My recollection of sickle mowers is from about 50 years ago. It worked great for cutting alfalfa, which was what we used exclusively for hay back then on the dairy farm. Also good for clipping pastures, my least favorite job during the dog days of summer. But it had a hard time cutting through thick grass, and sharpening/replacing sections was a never-ending chore. The inherent offset is definitely a plus.
Edit: I definitely would not have attempted cutting 1" diameter brush with the one we had, but perhaps there are modern ones that can do it.

 

[Vigo327]

I've never used one but as someone who fixes their own stuff i cringe at the thought of how often i'd have to 'unf$#@' a sickle mower using it like that..

I would trust a 'ditch mower' such as an offset flail mower more, as far as durability.

I think if you want to use the sickle mower I would do what others have recommended and clean up the bigger stuff first, whether you do it manually with saws/loppers, backing up a bush hog, or just paying someone else. A skid steer with a front-mounted brush cutter would probably do the fastest job of it.

 

[Smokeydog]

We had two knife blades and could swap out in case a section broke to keep mowing hay. Cutting the perimeter last as that is where most damage could occur. Got pretty proficient at changing sections using rivets with the right tools and technique. The end double toothed section blade always seemed to get the most damage. Parts aren’t as common as they once were. Some brands very expensive.
Remember when the sickle bar mowers did the road ditch banks? Not anymore. In Europe they have special heavy cutters for the hedge rows.